My Take
Don Newcombe was the kind of trailblazer whose resume reads like it was written to make future generations feel humbled. "Newk" came up through the Negro National League before integration even gave him a shot at the majors, and once he got there he didn't just hold his own — he dominated. Winning Rookie of the Year in 1949, then sweeping both the MVP and the very first Cy Young Award in 1956, made him the first pitcher ever to pull off that triple, a feat that still hasn't aged. At 6-foot-4 with a fastball to match his frame, he was an intimidating presence on the mound for the Brooklyn Dodgers during one of the most electric eras in baseball history. He also spoke openly about his battles with alcoholism later in life, which took real courage, and he turned that into advocacy work. An all-time great who deserves far more flowers than history tends to give him.
Overview
Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "Newk", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played ten non-consecutive seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his career in the Negro National League and ended it in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Newcombe was the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and Cy Young Awards during his career.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Don Newcombe
- Name (Japanese)
- ドン・ニューカム
- Reading
- どん・にゅーかむ
- Born
- June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Tiger
- Origin
- Madison, New Jersey, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 193 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- baseball player
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Thomas Jefferson High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1956 Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
- 1956 Cy Young Award
- 1949 Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.